Three Healthy Hanukkah Recipes

Baked Potato, Leek and Apple Latkes

Make potato latkes healthier by adding vitamin- and fiber-rich apples to the potato cakes, spraying them with olive oil, and baking rather than deep-frying them. Kids can be in charge of peeling the potatoes and apples, squeezing the moisture out of them after they've been shredded and drained, and mixing all the ingredients together. They can also help in forming the cakes and spraying them with oil. Serve them topped with low-fat sour cream or applesauce.

Olive oil spray

1 large egg lightly beaten

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 large leeks

2 medium tart green apples, peeled and cored

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup matzo meal

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Low-fat sour cream for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Spray a large nonstick baking sheet with olive oil (you can hasten the total cooking time if your oven can accommodate two pans side by side).

Trim off the root end of the leeks and remove any dark or ragged outer leaves. Trim off the dark, coarse part, leaving only the white and light green portion of the leek. Split these light-colored portions in half lengthwise and thinly slice. Place sliced leeks into a bowl and cover with cold water. Slosh the leek slices around a bit to make sure the dirt is removed from between the leaves. Lift leek slices out of the water and into a colander to drain. If the leeks are very dirty, you may need to repeat this process.

Peel the potatoes, and peel and core the apples. Using the fine shredding blade of a food processor, shred the potatoes and apples then place them in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt, and set in the sink to drain for at least 20 minutes. Turn potatoes and apples out onto a double thickness of paper towels or a clean, dry dish towel and squeeze out excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine whole eggs, egg whites, leeks, potatoes, and apples, and toss to combine. Mix in olive oil, matzo meal, salt, and pepper.

Using your hands, drop mixture onto prepared baking sheet(s) forming thin, flat patties about 3 inches across. Spray cakes lightly with olive oil and bake on the center rack of the oven until golden brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Turn cakes over and bake about 7 minutes longer, or until crisp and cooked through. Transfer cooked latkes to a platter and cook remaining batches in the same manner as the first. Before serving, reheat the previously cooked latkes in the hot oven for about 4 minutes.

Makes about 48 latkes.

Pear Fritters

In place of jelly doughnuts, try serving pear fritters for dessert. They may still be deep fried, but you'll sneak in an extra serving of nutritious whole fruit. Children can help with peeling the pears and sifting, mixing, and dusting the cooked fritters with powdered sugar. But because the oil is very hot, keep children away from the stove during cooking.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

3 medium Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and diced

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Powdered sugar for garnish

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt. Add milk and egg and beat until batter is smooth. Stir in pear and mix until well combined.

Fill a large, heavy pot with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat the oil until it registers 375 degrees Fahrenheit on a deep-fat thermometer. Carefully drop the batter by large spoonfuls into the hot oil in batches and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Lift fritters from pan using tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

Makes about 24 fritters.